Handling the revelation
by Arikae
Summary: Sequel to Secrets and Lies. Luke and Bo are brothers but Luke doesn't seem to want to acknowledge this new relationship. Will Luke work it out before it's too late?
1. Just need more time

**Author's Note: A big thanks the Kimduke-79 for giving me the idea for this sequel. I really appreciate all the ideas she has given me over the past couple of weeks for both this story and Secrets and Lies. Also, thanks for beta-reading my work. **

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own the boys or any body else. They belong to Warner Bros.**

It has been two months since Bo's recovery from Listeriosis and Meningitis. It was a very tough two weeks when Bo was in hospital and it wasn't just because of how sick he was but because a family secret had been revealed causing a strain between Luke and Bo. However, as with any disagreements between the Duke boys, it was over before it even really begun. Anyone who knew the Dukes would know that these boys were inseparable. One would rarely see one Duke without the other within a feet or two away and now that the boys found out they were actually half brothers, that bond would be even stronger. Or so they thought.

Bo had always loved Luke like a brother and the same was true for Luke, but the circumstances behind the relationship made it harder for Luke to accept than for Bo to. Luke's mother, Catherine, had made a mistake one night with Bo's father, Jonathan. The result of that mistake was Luke, which made accepting his relationship with Bo harder than it should be.

During the past two months, Bo and Luke went about their days the same way they always did before Bo got sick. They did their chores, flirted with girls, went on dates and worked on the General just as they always had. No one would have thought anything was wrong between the boys. It wasn't until Bo stopped the car to help a young lady having trouble with her car that issues started to arise.

Bo smiled as the young, beautiful lady waved them down as they were driving along Cottontail Road.

"whooo! Looks like it's my lucky day!" Bo whooped as he stopped the car behind the woman's. Luke raised his eyebrow at Bo.

"What's makes you think it your lucky day?" Luke questioned, "She's more my type than yours. I like the petite ones." Luke pulled himself out of the car the same time Bo did. Bo gave his biggest and sweetest smile as he walked up to the lady with Luke close on his heels.

"Howdy Ma'am. Can we be of assistance?" Bo said with manners grounded into him by his uncle. Luke was beside him giving his best smile as well.

"Oh thank goodness you came along." The lady shrugged and pointed at her car. "I don't know what happened? I had it checked yesterday before I left Chicasaw County."

"That's your problem right there, ma'am." Luke told her, "The only mechanic in the Tri-county area that can fix a car and have it stay fixed is here in Hazzard. Everyone else are just men holding tools at best!"

"Well, what do I do? I need to get to Atlanta by this afternoon." The poor lady looked very distressed.

Bo looked at Luke, "Well, if you don't mind. We can take a look at it. Cooter, the mechanic we're talking about, is our friend and we help him out every now and then."

"If you would, that will be great!" The lady looked relieved and held out her hand, "I'm Linda, by the way."

Bo took her hand and shook it, "Well, I'm Bo Duke and this is my b..."

"Cousin," Luke said a little too loud, "I'm his cousin, Luke Duke." He shook Linda's hand and then looked under the hood of the car, trying to avoid Bo's confused look.

Bo then nodded, "Right, cousin." He said softly before leaning in the hood as well. Any thoughts of asking Linda out or finding out who she would choose went out the window. "Looks like it's just an overheated radiator." Bo said. "That's easy to fix. I'll just run down to the pond and get some water." Bo went over to the General and grabbed an empty bottle from the trunk. "Be right back." He smiled and ran down to the pond. Luke watched as his cousin disappeared down the side of the road.

He turned to Linda, "So why do you need to get to Atlanta in such a hurry?" He asked her, trying to get his mind off what just happened.

"Oh, I'm meeting a record producer." Luke smiled as Linda blushed. "I wrote some songs and sent it in and they said I had potential. My appointment's at 3 pm today." Luke pulled out his pocket watch.

"Well, it's only 11 o'clock right now. Once we get the radiator cooled down you can be on your way. You should have an hour or so to spare."

Linda beamed, "I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't happened by."

Bo came back up the slope with the bottle. He handed it to Luke who poured the water into the radiator. "That should do it. Why don't you give it a try?" Luke told her.

She nodded and turned the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life. She clapped her hands with pleasure and ran over to give the boys each a peck on the cheek. "Thank you so much!"

"It was our pleasure, ma'am." Bo dipped his head.

"That's right and we hope to be hearing your song on the radio soon." Luke smiled at her who grinned back. She got in her car and waved at the boys before continuing on her way. Bo and Luke waved as the car disappeared down the road.

"She's a singer?" Bo asked.

"Song writer on her way to see a record producer in Atlanta." Luke nodded.

Bo was impressed, "Should've got her autograph. May be worth something later." They got back into the General and headed to Cooter's.

It was silent in the car, which was rare for the Duke boys. Luke looked over to his cousin. He knew what was bothering Bo. "Listen, Bo..."

"Forget it, Luke." Bo interrupted, "I understand."

Luke frowned, "You do?"

"Sure! You're not comfortable with people knowing we're brothers. I get it." Bo said, but Luke could tell by Bo's tone of voice that he didn't really get it.

"It's not that I don't want people to know. I just need to get some things sorted first." Luke tried to explain. Bo sighed. He looked at Luke and immediately felt bad. He knew this would be harder for Luke than it was for him.

"Really, Luke. I'm fine. You just let me know when you're ready. It doesn't really matter anyway, I know you love me and that's all I need to know. Telling people we're brothers won't make it any more real than it already is." Bo smiled at his brother. "I really do understand, Luke."

Luke smiled back, "Thanks for being so patient with me, Bo."

Bo shrugged, "It's nothing."

Bo pulled into Cooter's garage and climbed out of the car. "Hey Cooter!" Bo called. Cooter pulled himself out from under a dark blue sedan.

"Howdy Boys!" Cooter, Bo and Luke's oldest and best friend, loved it when the boys came around. "General Lee acting up again?"

"Nope, just dropping by 'cause we got all our chores done early." Bo jumped onto the hood of the General and made himself comfortable. "So what are you up to?"

"Ah, same old, same old. Could use a hand though. I have here a sedan to fix up and that there pick-up has a blown radiator and the red roadrunner needs a tune up. Nothing you boys can't handle, right?" Bo shrugged and looked at Luke.

"Heck, we got nothing better to do." Bo jumped off the General and took his shirt off. Daisy would use a frying pan on him if he got grease on his shirt. "I'll take the road runner!"

"Sure Bo, take the one that just needs a tune up." Luke jabbed.

"Nah, nothing to do with that, it's just the best looking car out of the three." Bo grinned, "Just like me." Luke threw a rag at Bo who just caught it before it hit his face, "Thanks, needed that." Luke rolled his eyes and took his shirt off as the walked over to the pick-up.

"The new radiator is on the driver's seat." Cooter called out to Luke. Luke nodded. He went about pulling out the old one. "Drinks are on me after this, boys!"

"This is leisure time for us, Cooter." Bo called out from under the red car. "But if you wanna buy, who am I to stop you." Cooter and Luke grinned at the giggle coming for the youngest Duke.

Luke was just finishing up the same time Cooter was. Bo had finished about half an hour ago and was sleeping on the hood of the General. Cooter saw the look on Luke's face and knew he was in for a treat. He leaned back onto the hood of the sedan he had just fixed and waited. Luke sneaked up to the driver's side of the General and reached in. A second later the Dixie horn blared out and Bo jumped up like someone lit a fire under him. Bo looked around to find what had scared the living day lights out of him but all he saw was Luke and Cooter holding their stomachs in laughter.

"Cute!" Bo sneered at his brother.

"Whoooie!" Cooter took in a much need breath, "That was the most fun I've had in a while."

"Glad I could entertain you, Cooter." sarcasm dripping off Bo's words. Luke slapped Bo on the back.

"Come on, Bo! It was just a little fun!" Luke laughed.

"For you! I just had 10 years scared off my life." Bo complained. "You're going to be paying for this Cooter. In beers!"

"It was Luke's idea. I just watched!" Cooter protested.

"I would make Luke pay but I already know he can't afford it." Bo said.

Cooter looked at Luke for help but Luke just shrugged, "It's true."

Cooter rolled his eyes. "Figures. Brothers always back each other up."

Bo grinned while Luke froze. Bo didn't think anything of the comment Cooter had just made, but to Luke it was like a punch in the gut. Luke looked at Bo accusingly. "You told Cooter?"

Bo was confused, "Told Cooter what?"

Cooter was just as confused. He didn't understand why Luke was suddenly so angry. "What's wrong, Luke?"

"Stay out of this, Cooter." Luke glared at him and then turned back to Bo. "I should've known. All this talk about understanding and being patient is just an act."

"Luke, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Bo, quit acting, just be a man and admit to what you did!" Luke shoved Bo in the shoulder. Bo was angry now. He shoved Luke back hard, almost knocking him over.

"Now I don't know what's gotten into you, Luke, but I ain't just gonna take it."

"Hey Boys, I don't know what's going on but maybe we all should just step away from each other." Cooter tried to keep himself between the boys.

Luke took a deep breath. "Just admit it Bo. You've been blabbing your mouth about us to everyone, haven't you? I mean, why would you stop with Cooter? You're never one to be able to keep your mouth shut!"

Bo was frustrated. He didn't know what the heck Luke was talking about. He tried to calm himself down. He didn't like fighting with Luke, especially when he didn't know why? "Luke, would you just tell me what I was suppose to have told..."

Luke lost it right then. Bo caught Luke's right hook right in the cheek, knocking him to the hard ground of Cooter's garage. Bo wiped at the blood coming from his mouth and glared at Luke. "What the heck's gotten into you?"

"You told Cooter about us. About us being brothers." Luke finally told Bo.

Cooter was shocked at what he had just heard. "You're brothers?"

Luke turned to him. "You didn't know?"

Cooter looked at him incredulously, "Why would I know?"

Now it was Luke's turn to be confused. "But you just called us brothers."

"Huh?" Cooter wasn't sure he could get any more confused than he is now. "When did I..." then Cooter remembered, "I didn't mean real brothers, just that you boys have always been as close as brothers."

Luke closed his eyes as he realised the mistake he had made. Luke turned back to Bo to apologise but he wasn't there. In fact, he wasn't anywhere. "Ah!" Luke smacked his hand across the hood of the General. "Cooter, I've really messed up this time." Damn it! He had only just gotten his cousin back and now he probably lost him again.

"Well, he can't have gotten that far. He's on foot. Why don't you look around town? I'll close up shop and help you." Cooter said as he placed a hand on Luke's shoulder. Luke nodded.

"Thanks, Cooter."

"And once we find him, you're going to tell me everything." Cooter said pointedly. Luke nodded his agreement.

Luke looked around. "I'm going to take the General and take the road out of town. Can you look around here?"

"Sure thing, Luke."


	2. The Storm

**Author's Note: A big thanks the Kimduke-79 for giving me the idea for this sequel. I really appreciate all the ideas she has given me over the past couple of weeks for both this story and Secrets and Lies. ****Also, thanks for beta-ing my work.  
**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own the boys or any body else. They belong to Warner Bros.**

Bo was walking along the road that lead out of town. He had been running at full speed because he just wanted to get away from Luke and he didn't want to think but now that he had slowed to a walk, he couldn't keep his mind from what had just happened. Luke had gotten that angry because he thought Bo had told Cooter that they were brothers. He didn't understand why. He knew Luke wanted to sort out some things about their real relationship but the way Luke had acted, it was like he was ashamed that Bo was his brother. Bo would've given Luke all the time in the world to come to terms with all the information they had been given in the past few months. He didn't care because it wouldn't change the fact that they were brothers and that was all Bo cared about. Clearly, Luke doesn't feel the same way. Bo was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't hear the car that came up behind him. When it came up beside him he wanted to run, but there was no way of outrunning the General, so he just continued walking.

Luke spotted Bo just outside of the town centre. He didn't know where Bo was going and he didn't care as long as he found his cousin. Luke drove the General up beside Bo, but Bo acted as if Luke wasn't even there. "Bo, can we talk?"

Bo snickered, "I think we've done enough talking, Lukas." Whenever Luke's full first name was used by Bo, it usually meant that Bo was really upset with him.

"I'm sorry I blew up like that." Luke apologised but for all he knew Bo couldn't even hear him. "Bo, would you just stop so we can talk?"

Bo stopped abruptly and turned to face Luke, who had stopped the General. Bo put both hands against the top of the driver's side door and leaned over so that he could look Luke in the eyes. "I'm tired of talking to you. I'm sick of hearing your apologies. You know, if you don't want me to be your brother you should've just told me instead of making me think you just needed more time to sort things out."

"Bo, that's not..."

"I don't care if we are brothers by birth or not." Bo interrupted him, "I grew up with you. Apart from the four years you were in the marines, there isn't one memory that doesn't have you in it. One letter from your mother wasn't going to change that for me."

"Bo..." Luke didn't know what he could say.

Bo shook his head. "I don't want to hear it. I don't care any more. I'm tired of listening to you explain." Bo pushed himself off the General and continued walking. Luke watched as Bo walked away. He slapped his hand against the steering wheel. How was he going to fix this?

"_This is crazy Cooter calling Lost sheep. Lost Sheep, you gotcha ears on? Come back."_

Luke was tempted not to answer it, but Cooter needed to know that he could stop searching for Bo. He picked up the CB. "This is Lost Sheep. Cooter you can stop looking. I found him."

"_I'm guessing he didn't take your apology that well." _

"Yeah, he didn't even want to hear it."

"_Don't worry, Luke. He just needs some time to think. He'll come around, he always does."_

"Yeah, thanks for everything, Cooter. I'm gone." Luke put the CB back and started the General forward again.

* * *

Bo didn't know where he was going. He just kept walking when a loud clap from the sky made him look up. The sky was almost clear when he had left town. He'd never seen the sky cloud over so fast. Bo sighed, he didn't think this day could get any worse. Lightning filled the sky followed by another loud clap, and then by heavy rain. One would think any Duke would have learned never to think the worse is over. Bo started looking around for cover. He couldn't see anything, but he did hear something. He stopped moving and tried to make out what the sound was. "Help me!" It was the voice of a woman. He was about to head in the direction of the voice when a car drove up to him.

"Bo! Get in!" Luke yelled at him. Luke had started looking for Bo as soon as he heard the first sound of thunder. It was lucky that Bo had not walked off the main road.

Bo leaned into the car. "There's someone calling for help!" Bo yelled over the rain and thunder.

"Where?"

"I think it's coming from down by the creek!"

"Get in! We'll drive in closer!" Bo nodded and climbed in. Luke headed off the main road toward the creek. Bo's eyes widened at the rushing water. He has never seen the creek so full. He looked around and spotted a woman near the edge of the water.

"There!" He pointed.

"I see her!" Luke pointed the General in the direction of the woman. They climbed out of the General and ran down to her.

"Ma'am, it's too dangerous here. You should come with us." Luke tried to pull the woman away from the water.

"No! My son! He's on the other side of the creek!" Bo looked in the direction she was pointing. On the other side of the creek was a little boy, about 9 years old, clinging onto a rock.

"Luke!" Bo looked at his brother with fear in his eyes.

"I'm getting the rope!" Luke yelled back. Bo turned the woman by the shoulders to face him. "Ma'am, we'll get him, but you need to stand back. It's too dangerous for you to stand here. Go to our car and CB the sheriff's department and tell them what's happening. Luke and I will get your son."

"Please save him. He's all I got." The women sobbed.

Bo nodded. "What's your son's name?"

"Johnny!" She told him.

"We'll get him back safely!" She nodded and ran to the General.

"Bo!" Luke called from a large rock on the edge of the water. He was tying the rope around the rock. "Keep the rope steady! I'm going in!"

"No! I'll go! You're stronger. We'll have a better chance if you're steadying the rope!" Luke didn't like letting Bo go, but he couldn't argue against Bo's logic. He nodded.

"Be careful!" Luke tied the rope around Bo's waist. He looked into Bo's eyes. "We have some talking to do after this!" Luke gave Bo a quick hug before Bo started walking into the water. It took a lot of strength to keep the rope steady. The current was strong and as Bo started approaching the middle of the creek, he found it harder to keep his feet from slipping out from under him. It's a good thing Luke had a good hold of the rope. It took Bo over 20 minutes to get to the boy, who was shivering badly. Bo grabbed hold of the rock. "Hi Johnny! I'm Bo!" The boy looked at him with wide eyes. "I'm going to take you back to your mom!" Bo moved around and grabbed a hold of the boy around the waist. "When I tell you to, I want you to let go of the rock and grab hold of me instead! Do you understand?" The boy nodded. "Okay." Bo got a good, strong hold around the boys waist. "Now!" The boy let go and threw his arms around Bo's neck.

Luke saw Johnny grab a hold of Bo and straight away started pulling Bo back. Everything was going fine until Bo was half way back. He could see that the rope was starting to unravel. "No, no, no! Bo! The ropes gonna go. You have to hurry!" Bo saw the rope and tried to double his pace. He was getting closer now. Almost within reach of Luke.

"Take the boy!" Bo called out. Luke nodded. Bo took a strong hold of the rope and signalled that he was ready. Luke held the rope and slowly walked deeper into the water. He reached in and grabbed the boy to drag him in. "Hold on Bo! I'll be right back." Bo nodded. Luke pulled himself back up the bank and trudged up the wet grass, giving the boy to his sobbing mother. "Johnny! Thank you, Thank you!" Luke didn't have time to say anything back, he ran back to his brother. He grabbed hold of the rope and lowered himself back towards his cousin. Luke could see that the rope was onto its last few strands.

"Grab my hand!" The water had been getting steadily deeper and was now up to Bo's chest. Bo reached out his hand. He was just out of reach and he didn't have the strength to pull himself up any more. Luke moved in an inch more. "Just a little bit more, Bo!" Bo looked into his brother's eyes and saw the desperation there. With one last burst of strength Bo pushed forward, just as the rope snapped. Luke grabbed Bo's wrist just in time. Luke had one hand around the rope and the other hand around his brother. Bo had lost his footing on the floor of the creek and was now barely keeping his head above the water. "Hold on, Bo!" Luke looked around to see if there was anything that could help him. He felt relief when he saw Cooter's truck. Cooter got out of the truck and ran down to the creek.

"Cooter! I'm losing my grip on the rope!"

Cooter braced himself on the bank of the creek and grabbed a hold of Luke's hand. He pulled as hard as he could but it was no good against the strong current. "Luke! You have to help me. I can't pull you both up!"

Luke looked at Cooter and then at Bo. Luke couldn't get a strong enough foot-hold to help. Cooter was keeping them both from washing away on his own. Bo looked him in the eye. "Let me go!" Bo told him as he tried to keep his head above water. Luke shook his head. "You have to let me go! Cooter can't hold on much longer!" Bo's head went under the water.

"Bo!" Luke pulled hard and Bo's head broke the surface again. Luke turned to look at Cooter. He was straining to keep them from getting taken by the current. Luke turned back again. Bo had loosened his grip on Luke.

"You have to let me go!" Bo begged.

"I'm never leaving you again!" Luke repeated the promise he had made to his brother when he returned from Vietnam and again after Bo had returned from the hospital a couple of months ago. Luke looked back to Cooter. "I'm sorry, Cooter!" Luke let go of his friend's hand.


	3. The Search

**Author's Note: A big thanks the Kimduke-79 for giving me the idea for this sequel. I really appreciate all the ideas she has given me over the past couple of weeks for both this story and Secrets and Lies. ****Also, thanks for beta-ing my work.**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own the boys or any body else. They belong to Warner Bros.**

"Luke!" Cooter cried, "Nooooo!" Luke's hand slipped from his grip and just like that Cooter's two best friends disappeared down the creek. Cooter sat there and stared at the rushing water. He didn't know how long he was sitting there for before someone was shaking him. "Cooter!" Cooter looked up to see Rosco looking down at him.

"What happened?" Rosco was unnaturally calm and serious. "Where are the Duke boys?"

"They're gone." Cooter told him. "Bo and Luke are gone." Rosco looked down the creek where Cooter was staring.

"Have you called Jesse?" Rosco asked him. Cooter didn't answer. "Cooter Davenport! You snap out of it!"

Cooter looked at Rosco, "No I haven't. What do I tell them?"

"Cooter, you dipstick!" Rosco smacked him over the head with his hat. "It's the Duke boys! I can already recall one time they came back from the dead!"

Cooter looked at Rosco as if he had grown another head. "Don't look at me like that! It's true, isn't it?"

Cooter nodded, "You're right, Rosco. I won't believe they're gone until I find evidence of it!"

Rosco nodded, "That's right. Now you CB Jesse and Daisy and I'll get a search party together!" They headed to their respective cars and called in what they knew. Enos had arrived with the Sheriff and was ordered to take the mother and her son home.

Cooter had the difficult job of calling Jesse and Daisy. "Shepherd, this is crazy Cooter. You gotcha ears on? Come back."

"_Yeah, Cooter, this is Shepherd. You want to tell those boys of mine to come home? The roof of the barn is still leaking and I need to move the feed."_

Cooter took a deep breath. This was going to be hard. "I'm sorry to tell you this Uncle Jesse, but Luke and Bo were saving a little boy when the water current in the creek got too strong. They saved the boy but..." Cooter couldn't get the words out.

"_but what, Cooter? Where are my boys?"_

"They got taken by the water. They got washed down the creek. I don't know where they are or if they survived." Cooter wiped away the tears.

"_Where are you? I coming over there!"_

Cooter gave Jesse his location and then replaced the CB. He walked over to Rosco. "All the volunteer rescue workers are on their way." Rosco told him.

* * *

Further down the creek, Luke was trying to keep a hold of Bo while keeping his head above water. Luke refused to let his brother go. Bo had been conscious at first but the water had knocked him against a sharp rock, rendering him unconscious. Luke was trying to grab hold of a branch or a rock but it was hard with only one hand. Luke could tell he was losing the battle. The cold water was draining his strength. It wasn't long before his vision started darkening. His grip on Bo tightened as he lost consciousness.

* * *

Jesse arrived at the scene just as the volunteer workers did. "Cooter!" Cooter looked up from where he was at the edge of the water. The rain was slowing down now and so was the current. "Cooter! What happened?"

Cooter started tearing up again. "I'm sorry, Uncle Jesse. I tried to pull them up but the current was too strong." Jesse put a hand on Cooter's shoulder. "Luke wouldn't let Bo go. Bo screamed for him to let him go, but he wouldn't and I couldn't hold on and Luke knew it. He looked right at me and told me he was sorry before he let go of me. I'm sorry. I tried." Jesse pulled Cooter into his arms.

"I know you tried. It was Luke's choice. He had sworn that he would always protect Bo, so he did the only thing he could think of. There was nothing you could have done." Jesse pulled back, "We'll find them. My boys don't give up easily, they're not going to let a creek they've jumped over more times I can count, take them down."

Cooter wiped away his tears. "You're right, Uncle Jesse. I'm going to join the search party. We'll find them."

Steve Conway was the search party coordinator. "The creek leads all the way down to Chicasaw County and then into the swamps. It becomes shallower here." He circled a place on the map. "If they get washed up onto the bank, it would most likely be around there, but we have to work methodically, so we'll start here and make our way along the creek until we get to this area and then towards the swamps. Does everyone understand?" They all nodded.

"Uncle Jesse!" Daisy arrived in Dixie. Enos had told her what had happened. "Uncle Jesse! Where are they? Where are Bo and Luke?"

Jesse hugged his niece to calm her down. "We'll find them, sweetie. We'll find them and bring them home." Jesse lead her to the creek and told her what they were doing.

* * *

Luke slowly regained consciousness. He opened his eyes and could see that he was lying on the bank of the creek. Luke was lying on his front. He lifted his head and looked around. His whole body was aching. It took him a while to notice that he was holding something, turning his head, he looked down at his hand and saw that he was holding someone's hand.

"Bo!" Luke pushed himself up and crawled over to his brother, who was lying unconscious on his back. Luke placed his head on Bo's chest to feel for a heart beat and if he was breathing. Nothing. Luke got up and started CPR. "Don't do this to me, Bo. We still have to talk, remember?" Luke pumped five time and then breathed into Bo's mouth. "one, two, three, four, five." Breathe. "one, two, three, four, five." Breathe. "one, two, three..." Bo coughed up the water in his lungs. Luke quickly turned Bo onto his side. "That's it Bo, breathe." Bo continued coughing and then took in a breath and then another.

"Luke?" He barely got the word out between the coughing.

"I'm here, Bo." Luke help Bo to sit up and leaned him against his chest. "Just take deep breaths." Bo rested his head on Luke's shoulder. They stayed like that for a while before Bo finally had the strength to say more than one word.

"You didn't let go."

"I know."

"You could've died." Bo shivered and Luke hugged him tighter.

"I made a promise to never leave you." Luke told him.

"Uncle Jesse's going to give us switchin' when he finds out." Luke laughed at that.

"I'm sure he'll get over it." Bo smiled.

Luke pulled Bo away so that he could get a good look at him. He remember Bo being knocked unconscious. There was a nasty gash above Bo's eyebrow. He ran a hand gently around the back of Bo's head, but stopped when Bo hissed in pain. There was a huge lump there. "You might have a concussion." Luke reported. He ran his hand down Bo's arms and ribs. Bo flinched. "Probably got some bruised ribs doesn't feel broken." He continued his examination. There was a tear in Bo's jeans. Luke tore it open further to reveal a deep cut. It wasn't bleeding too much and Bo couldn't feel much pain probably because of the cold water. Luke tore off a strip from the bottom of his shirt and tied it tight around Bo's leg. "Do you feel any pain anywhere else?"

Bo moved his legs and then his arms. He shook his head. "Shoulder's a little sore but that's it."

"Let me take a look." Luke opened up Bo's shirt and pulled it off his left shoulder. "Think it's just bruised." Luke determined and pulled the shirt back up. Luke looked at Bo once he was done and found that he was trying to not laugh. "What's so funny?"

"Are you done, Doctor Duke?" Bo grinned.

Luke rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'm done."

"No, you're not." Bo said seriously.

"I'm not? Where else are you hurting?" Luke started to check Bo over again. It was Bo's turn to roll his eyes.

"I'm fine. I meant you." Bo pushed Luke's hands away.

"Me?" Luke looked down at himself, "I'm fine."

"Right. I get a concussion, bruised ribs, cuts and bruises all over and you're just dandy." It was obvious Bo didn't believe him.

"Okay, maybe I'm not fine, but I'm not hurt. Just really sor,e probably from holding on to you and that rope, plus getting knocked around in the creek, but it's nothing I can't handle."

Bo squinted at Luke. "I don't believe you." Bo reached out to check Luke over just like Luke had done. Luke sighed and held out his arms to give Bo easy access. Bo frowned when he didn't find anything. "Guess you really are fine."

"Don't look so disappointed." Luke grumble.

Bo smiled sheepishly, "Sorry. I am glad you're okay."

Luke laughed, "Come on. We should try and find a place for shelter." He looked up at the sky. "Looks like the worse of the storm is over, but it's starting to get dark. We need to find a place to bunker down for the night." Luke got up and looked around.

"Do you know where we are?" Bo asked as he looked from where he was sitting. "How far down the creek do you think we went?"

"Why do I have to have all the answers?"

"Because you're older." Bo grinned. It was the answer he had always given Luke. The real answer was because Luke tended to have all the answers, but he'll never admit that to Luke.

"Well, I'm sure we're not in Hazzard any more. I was still conscious when we passed into Chicasaw County and we're not at the swamps, where the creek leads to, so that leaves us somewhere in Chicasaw, I guess."

"Uncle Jesse and Daisy have to be losing their minds right now." Bo said and then more softly, "You should've let me go. Losing one of us is bad, losing both of us is unbearable."

"There was no way I was going to let you go, Bo." Luke helped Bo to his feet. "We need to find shelter. Maybe we can find an abandoned still site or cabin."

Bo grunted as he got up. "If this is Chicasaw County, there won't be any still sites left in tact. Sheriff Little's crazy. He's probably blown up every site in this County."

Luke drew Bo's arm around his shoulders, "Guess we'll just have to settle for a cabin."

"The way our luck is going, we'll be lucky to find a tree that'll give us cover." Bo groaned.

"Are you hurting bad?"

Bo shook his head. "I'm okay, just stiff."

"Okay, let's go!" Luke supported Bo as they made their way into the trees.

* * *

Meanwhile, the search party had made it as far as the county line before Steve called it off for the day. It was getting dark and he was not going to endanger the lives of the volunteers by continuing the search in the dark.

"Steve, there's still some light left." Jesse told him.

Steve sighed, "I know this is hard for you Jesse. Heck, I've watched those boys grow up myself, but I can't risk people's lives." Jesse nodded his understanding. Steve put a hand on Jesse's shoulder. "We'll resume the search at first light."

Jesse nodded and walked over to his niece who was still searching. "Daisy, sweetheart. We have to stop." Daisy just ignored him and kept on walking. "Daisy." Jesse grabbed her arm. "Daisy!" She tried to pull her arm out but Jesse just pulled her into his arms and let her struggle until she ran out of steam and just cried uncontrollably.

Cooter was watching from the other side of the creek. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to go over there and comfort Daisy but he couldn't. Not when he was to blame. "I'm sorry, Daisy." He said before walking away, back to where the rescue workers were gathering for instructions. Cooter would keep looking in the morning and the next day and the next until he found the boys. He wasn't going to give up.

"We'll find them, Daisy." Jesse stroked her hair, "We'll find them." Jesse couldn't stop his own tears from falling. "Let's go home."


	4. Father, brother

**Author's Note: A big thanks the Kimduke-79 for giving me the idea for this sequel. I really appreciate all the ideas she has given me over the past couple of weeks for both this story and Secrets and Lies. ****Also, thanks for beta-ing my work.**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own the boys or any body else. They belong to Warner Bros.**

Luke and Bo have been walking for over an hour now and the last of the day light was disappearing. "Looks like we'll have to settle for a tree." Luke grumbled. Bo didn't say anything. He was cold, tired and sore. He didn't have any energy to give any kind of remark. Luke adjusted his hold on Bo and kept walking. "We'll walk for another half an hour and then we'll just have to find a nice tree to rest for the night." Luke didn't like the fact that Bo hadn't said a word for over half an hour now.

They kept walking and Luke was about to give up when they came to a clearing. Up ahead was an old shack. Luke smiled, "It's small but it'll do. Looks like the Duke luck is holding up after all." Bo looked up and could barely make anything out in the dark. He just trusted Luke to get them to safety. "Come on, Bo. Almost there." Luke got to the door of the cabin and kicked it open. It was dark and looked as if no one had been here for years, but it was dry and that's what's important. Luke lowered Bo to the ground, leaning him against the wall. "Be right back, Bo. Stay awake for me." Bo nodded as Luke looked around. There was a couple of cupboards against the wall and a few shelves. Luke looked in the draws to see if there was anything handy. He smiled, "Candles and matches." Luke lit a candle and then looked around the rest of the shack. There were shelves on the wall Bo was resting against. "blankets?" Luke frowned, this was too good to be true. He looked around some more. "A fire place." Luke started piecing together what this place was. It was an old emergency cabin. In the old days when men would go out hunting, cabins were built in case they got stuck in a storm or was injured. Someone had maintained this place for years but had probably stopped a couple of years back. "Yep, the Duke luck is definitely holding up." Luke got out of his wet clothes and helped Bo out of his.

Bo protested. "I'm cold."

"I know, Bo but the wet clothes are just taking what's left of your body heat. This'll help." He shook out a blanket to get rid of the dust and wrapped it around Bo, before grabbing the other blanket and wrapping it around his own shoulders. "I'm going to start up the fire place."

"Fire place?" Bo was confused. Why is there a fire place in the middle of nowhere?

"Yeah, we got lucky. This here's an emergency cabin. Hasn't been maintained for a couple of years but there's still everything we need for the night."

"Woooowww." Bo looked around. "Lucky." Luke frowned at Bo's voice. It was slurred, as if he were drunk. Luke got the fire going and then knelt back down next to Bo. He gently turned Bo's head so the light from the fire lit his face. Bo's eyes were unfocused. Guess he was right about Bo having a concussion. Luke wrapped his arms around Bo and pulled him close to keep him warm. "Luke?"

"Yeah, Bo."

"I wanna go home." Bo sounded the same way he did when he was 10 and had a nightmare. Luke pulled him closer.

"I know, Bo. I'll get us home. I promise."

"I'm tired."

"I know, but can you stay awake for me just for another hour or so. You have a concussion and you could fall into a coma if you fall asleep now."

Bo frowned, he couldn't seem to understand what Luke was saying but he did understand the part about staying awake. " 'kay." He said simply.

They were silent for a while when Luke spoke up. "Bo, I'm sorry about today."

"Hmmm?" Bo was too tired to try and figure out why Luke was apologising.

"I shouldn't've reacted the way I did when Cooter called us brothers."

"Oh." Bo had forgotten about that. It seemed so far away.

Luke waited for more from Bo, but when nothing was forthcoming he continued. "It's not what you think. I'm not embarrassed that you're my brother."

Bo pushed away from Luke. "Could've fooled me. Why else would you lose it like that unless you never want anyone to know? Heck, it was just Cooter, Luke!" Bo groaned when the pounding in his head doubled its pace.

"Bo, what's wrong?" Luke was in front of Bo again trying to get him to look up, but Bo just closed his eyes and held his hands to the side of his head. He took deep breaths when the pounding caused him to become nauseous.

"I'm okay. Just give me a second." Luke watched as Bo tried to get the pain under control.

"Maybe we should wait until we get home before we talk about this." Luke said.

"No. There won't be a better time." Bo breathed steadily as the nausea started to fade. "We're alone. You don't have to worry that someone will hear."

Luke sighed and rubbed his face with his hand. "Bo, I'm not embarrassed. At least not about you being my brother. Maybe I'm embarrassed about what happened between our parents but I couldn't be more proud to have you be my brother. Heck! We're already blood brothers."

Bo would have rolled his eyes if he knew it wouldn't give him an even worse headache. "We did that when we were kids. I think it's a little different now."

"I know that. My point is, if I was embarrassed to be your brother, I wouldn't have done that."

"If it's not that than what is it?" Bo asked, "You're still angry at me for what my father did or you just want to pretend nothing's change?"

Luke got up frustrated. "It's none of that. I don't know why I can't my head around it, I just know it has nothing to do with you." He walked over to stoke the fire. Bo suddenly lost all the anger he had towards Luke. Luke really was confused and Bo didn't know what to do to help him.

"I'm sorry, Luke. I should've known you wouldn't be thinking that. It's just that..."

"I should never have reacted the way I did at Cooter's." Luke threw another log in the fire and turned back to his brother. "I just don't know who I am any more. I've always thought that I get my personality from my father, Michael. I've always thought that I took after him. He was always smart and took care of all of us. I thought my protectiveness over you and Daisy came from him. Now, I know my father's not Michael, but Jonathan. So who am I?"

Bo looked at Luke confused. Luke was the smartest person he knew. So why was he so dense now? "Luke, Uncle Michael is still your father! You take after him because that was how he taught you to be. I don't know my dad because I was too little to remember him but I do remember what Uncle Jesse told me about him. He was smart too. He always knew what to do. He didn't need his older brothers to protect him or look after him. He could look after himself. Now, I know I can look after myself, but I always need you to bail me out of any trouble. It's just the way I am, probably because I'm the youngest in this family and y'all are so protective of me that I just got use to it."

Luke looked confused, "Are you getting anywhere with this, Bo?"

Bo did roll his eyes this time and he was right. It did aggravate his headache but he had a brother to set straight. "The point I'm trying to make is that I don't take after my father because I wasn't raised by him. I was raised by Uncle Jesse and in a way, you. I'm the way I am because of the way I was raised. You are who you are because you still remember your father and what he taught you. Michael will always be your father! One letter from Aunt Catherine can never change that!" Suddenly it hit Bo why Luke was so reluctant to admit to everyone that they were brothers. "Luke, do you feel as if you're betraying Uncle Michael if you admit that I'm your brother?"

Luke looked up in surprise. Was that it? Did he really think that he was betraying his father's memory by admitting Bo was his brother? That was why he was so conflicted these past few months. He thought that telling everyone he and Bo were brother's meant that he was telling people Michael Duke wasn't his father. "Yeah, I guess I was thinking that."

"And people say you're the one with the brains. You told me we were blood brothers. You've always treated me more like a brother than a cousin. It's the same with Michael. He's your father. You've only ever known him as your father. Admitting that I'm your brother doesn't make you betray your father, it just..." Bo shrugged, "I don't know, tells everyone that I'm your brother."

Luke felt a cloud lift from his shoulders. "I can't believe that I was racking my brain over this for so long and you solved just like that."

"Good. Glad I could help." Bo shut his eyes tight against the pain in his head, he groaned as he felt as if the whole cabin was spinning out of control. Luke caught him as Bo toppled over.

"Bo!" Luke leaned Bo against himself and could feel the heat coming off his brother. "Bo, you've got a fever."

"Luke, can I sleep now?" All the talking had drained Bo of all his strength. He tried to snuggle closer to Luke for the warmth.

"Bo, are you still cold?" He shouldn't be because the fire had warmed up the cabin well.

"Yeah, a little."

Luke pulled Bo up. "Come on." He grunted, "Let's get you closer to the fire. Our clothes are dry too so once we get into those you'll start warming up." It was hard but Luke had managed to get Bo back into his jeans and shirt. He laid Bo down in front of the fire and then got into his own clothes. Bo was already fast asleep when Luke had finished changing. Luke laid a blanket over his brother and then laid down beside him. Bo wasn't shivering any more but his fever was still high. He needed to get Bo to a hospital.


	5. Getting his brother home

**Author's Note: A big thanks the Kimduke-79 for giving me the idea for this sequel. I really appreciate all the ideas she has given me over the past couple of weeks for both this story and Secrets and Lies. ****Also, thanks for beta-ing my work.**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own the boys or any body else. They belong to Warner Bros.**

The next morning at first light. Daisy and Jesse headed out to the creek. Cooter was already there. They, along with rescue workers, resumed their search. After an hour of nothing Cooter got frustrated. "Stuff this!" Cooter walked to his truck and got in. Jesse and Daisy followed him.

"Cooter! Are you giving up?" Daisy asked.

"Heck, no! But I'm not wasting any more time here. I'm going down to the point where Steve said they would most likely be."

"Steve said..."

"I know what Steve said, but we have enough people looking along the creek. If they find them, they'll call me, but I just have this feeling that we're wasting our time here. Luke and Bo needs us. Heck, knowing Luke he's probably making his way back to Hazzard right now, but they're not going to make it on foot. Not without our help." Cooter explained, "It's my fault they're in this mess, so I'm going to get them out of it."

"This isn't your fault, Cooter." Jesse said gently, "There was nothing you could do. But you're making sense so Daisy and I are going with you."

Cooter nodded. "Let's go."

* * *

Luke woke up when the sun shone through the window. He got up and stretched before checking on Bo. The fever was still there though he didn't feel any hotter. He pulled open Bo's shirt and winced at the bruise forming there. He checked the cut on Bo's leg. It didn't look as if an infection was setting in but that was hard to tell. "Bo!" He shook Bo's shoulder. "Bo, wake up. We have to get going if we're going to get home."

Bo slowly opened his eyes. Luke smiled, "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been thrown around like a rag doll in a washing machine." Bo groaned as Luke sat him up.

Luke thought about that, "Not that far off what happened."

Bo glared at him, "You think?"

"Well, if you're glaring, you must be feeling better." Luke grinned at him. Bo just ignored him. He tried to stand up but only succeeded in getting to his knees. Luke pulled him the rest of the way up. He was worried Bo wasn't up for the hike back to Hazzard. "Your head still spinning?"

"No," Bo said and then grinned, "But the room is." Luke rolled his eyes at Bo's attempt at joking.

"I'm serious. I want to start heading back to Hazzard but I'm not sure you're up to it."

"I'm fine, Luke. Let's just go. The sooner we start the sooner we get home."

"Wait, let me do something. Luke took out his pocket knife and scratched something on the outside of the cabin." Once he was done, he went back to Bo. "Okay. Let me know if you're feeling worse."

Bo nodded and threw his arm around his brother. "Lead the way!"

* * *

Jesse, Daisy and Cooter arrived at the area Steve had circled on the map. Getting out of their cars they started searching the area. They couldn't rely on looking for tracks because the rain from the day before would have washed any away.

"Uncle Jesse!" Daisy picked something up from the mud. It had caught her eye when the sunlight reflected off it. Jesse and Cooter walked over to see what she had. "It's Bo's!" She showed Cooter and Jesse the pocket knife.

Cooter smiled. "They were here."

Jesse nodded. "At least Bo was. What would they do?"

"They'd find shelter for the night." Daisy said.

"Right, they would have headed into the trees for cover." Cooter pointed into the trees.

"Grab the walkie from the truck and CB Steve to tell him what we're doing, but don't tell them to stop looking, just in case we're wrong." Jesse told Daisy.

Jesse and Cooter looked into the woods, "Where do you think they would go?"

"They would head in the general direction of Hazzard, but further up." Cooter said. "We'll head up through the trees and then turn off towards Hazzard."

Daisy came running back. "I told Steve what we were doing. He said to contact him on channel 13 if we find them and he'll send help. He wants us to check in every hour. I got us some water as well and a first-aid kit." Daisy handed them each a bottle of water.

"Okay, we're all set. Let's go."

* * *

Bo was barely conscious as they made their way through the trees. Luke had been making marks on trees along the way. He was hoping anyone who found the cabin would see the markings and find them if they didn't make it back to Hazzard. "Luke. I can't..." Bo collapsed to the ground.

"Bo!" Luke turned Bo over, he was conscious but unaware. "Bo! Darn it! I told you to tell me when you're feeling worse!" He put his hand to Bo's forehead. "Fever's getting worse." He tapped Bo's face gently. "Bo, look at me." Bo tried to focus on his brother but he no longer had any strength to even keep his eyes open. "No, no, no!" Luke tapped Bo's face in an attempt to keep him awake but it was no use. Bo was no longer conscious. Luke sat back. He was exhausted. They've been walking for two hours but their pace was slow. He wasn't sure if they could get anywhere near Hazzard by sundown but he wasn't going to stop trying. Not when his cousin's life depended on it. "I promised you I'd get us home." Luke took and deep breath and then lifted Bo across his shoulders and continued on their way.

* * *

Cooter was beginning to think they had made the wrong assumptions when they came up to a shack. Daisy ran up to it, followed by Jesse and Cooter. They could tell straight away that this cabin was used recently by the ashes in the fire place. "They were here." Daisy smiled, "It has to be them."

"Now Daisy. Let's not get our hopes up." Jesse knew that this cabin could have been used by anyone. It didn't have to be his boys.

Cooter was standing outside looking in when he spotted the marking on the frame of the door. "No, I think we can get our hopes up." He grinned, "Take a look at this." Jesse and Daisy looked at what Cooter was fingering. "L B" and an arrow was engraved there. "Luke and Bo. And they went this way." Cooter pointed in the direction of the arrow. "And I'm willing to bet that Luke made a few more markings on his way."

Jesse's grin matched Cooter's and Daisy's. "My boys are alive. Daisy, call it in." Daisy nodded.

"This is Daisy Duke calling Steve Conway. Do you copy? Over."

"_This is Rosssco P. Coltrane. Over."_

Daisy frowned and looked at Cooter and Jesse who just shrugged. "Rosco, where's Steve? Over."

"_Missster Conway is taking a break. I am in charge at the moment. Over."_

"Rosco, we found some clues. We think Bo and Luke are headed towards Hazzard through the woods north of the creek in Chicasaw County. Luke left us a trail and we're just about to follow it. Over."

"_Ooooh...that's great. I'll tell you what. I'll call the hospital and have them get a chopper ready, just in case the boys are hurt. Over."_

Jesse's and Cooter's eyes widened at that. Jesse guessed that the good police officer Rosco used to be was still there somewhere. He tended to surface when Boss wasn't around to squash it.

"Rosco, you are the best! I would kiss you if you weren't so far away. Over." Daisy grinned.

"_Well, there's no need for that. I'm just doing my job. Aaah, over and out. Kiew, kiew." _

Daisy laughed at the silly chuckle the Sheriff had. "Let's go!"

"Not too fast Daisy. We don't want to miss any markings." Jesse cautioned.

"Yes Sir." They headed off in the direction of the arrow.

* * *

Luke was losing his battle with gravity. He found it harder and harder to stay upright. He was concentrating on keeping one foot in front of the other. He tried to block out the pain in his shoulders and legs and keep moving forward, but there was only so much a body can take. He dropped his precious cargo and collapsed to his knees. Luke turned around to face his brother. "I'm sorry, Bo. I tried. I really tried." Luke dropped down beside his brother and closed his eyes.


	6. Rescue and Recovery

**Author's Note: A big thanks the Kimduke-79 for giving me the idea for this sequel. I really appreciate all the ideas she has given me over the past couple of weeks for both this story and Secrets and Lies. ****Also, thanks for beta-ing my work.**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own the boys or any body else. They belong to Warner Bros.**

Luke could hear voices but he couldn't seem to find where they were coming from.

"That's right, Rosco. About half a mile north of the creek in Chicasaw County. According to the map, we should be 5 miles from the county line. Over." That sounded like Uncle Jesse, but why would Uncle Jesse be here?

"I think he's waking up." Daisy.

"Come on, Buddy roe." Cooter.

Luke finally worked out why he couldn't see where the voices were coming from. His eyes were closed. It took a lot of effort but he managed to open his eyes. Everything was blurry at first but when they did focus he saw the most beautiful face. His cousin Daisy. "You..." He couldn't get the words out. His throat was too dry.

"Here." Cooter lifted his head and held a bottle to his lips. "Slowly. You don't want to make yourself sick." Luke did as he was told. The water felt great. When he felt as if he could talk without choking he tried again.

"You found us."

"Thanks to the marks you left us." Cooter smiled, "Smart. Rosco's sending a chopper so you just sit tight."

Luke nodded. He closed his eyes. He and Bo were safe. _Bo!_ Luke bolted up right. "Bo!"

"Whoa, Buddy." Cooter caught Luke when he was about to fall back again after getting dizzy. "Jesse's taking care of Bo."

Luke waited for the trees to stop spinning. "How is he?"

Daisy looked away, while Cooter hesitated. "He ain't good, Luke. We've been trying to wake him but he didn't even stir when Uncle Jesse poured alcohol on the cut on his leg."

Luke looked over to where Jesse was wetting a handkerchief in an attempt to cool his nephew's fever. "He has to be okay. I promised him I'll get him home."

Jesse looked up at him. "Don't count him out yet. He's a fighter."

"I'm sorry, Uncle Jesse. I tried take care of him." Luke turned his head away.

Jesse gestured for Daisy to take his place next to Bo. He knelt down next to Luke and turned his head so that Luke would look into his eyes when he said this. "You have nothing to be sorry about. If you hadn't left those markings, we wouldn't have found you or Bo. You saved his life."

"That's yet to be determined." Luke looked at Bo who still hadn't moved.

"Don't give up on him, Luke. He's stronger than you think." Jesse said. Luke was about to answer back when the sound of a helicopter reached their ears. Jesse looked up and saw them. He got up and started waving. He knew they saw him and now they were hovering above them. Daisy was covering Bo to protect him from the dust the helicopter was kicking up. Cooter was doing the same with Luke.

A booming voice came out of a megaphone. "There's a clearing a hundred metres from you. We'll land there. Stay where you are and we'll be there shortly."

Jesse held up his thumb to tell them they understood and the helicopter started moving away. Fifteen minute later the boys were on a stretcher and put into the helicopter. Jesse, Daisy and Cooter jumped in and they were on there way to Tri-County Hospital. Luke didn't remember any of it. He had lost consciousness again once he saw the paramedics taking care of his brother.

* * *

Luke woke up in a hospital bed. He rubbed his eyes to clear his vision. A nurse was checking his vitals next to him. "Hello." She smiled at him. "How do you feel?"

"Fine. I guess. Thirsty." Luke answered her.

"Here." She held a straw to his lips and he took a much needed sip. "Thanks."

"Do you remember what happened to you?"

Luke frowned, "Um...yeah I got washed..." Suddenly everything came to Luke and he started panicking. "Where's my brother?" He grabbed the nurses arm.

The nurse was startled at the sudden changed in Luke's behaviour, "Your brother? You mean the other man that came in with you? He's been taken down to get a CT scan. The doctor wants to make sure the hit to his head hasn't caused any damage to his brain."

"Is he going to be okay?" Luke asked.

"I can't say. You'll have to wait for the doctor. He should be almost done. Once your brother's settled in his room..."

"In this room." Luke told her.

"I'm sorry?" She was confused.

"He'll be settled in this room with me." Luke clarified.

"I don't think that's the arrange..."

"Then change it." Luke interrupted. "Bo's staying with me." Luke's eyes were so intense that the nurse was starting to fear what would happen next. She struggled to free her arm. Luke looked at his grip and immediately let go. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. It's just that the last time Bo woke up in the hospital I wasn't there for him."

The nurse smiled in understanding. She was touched by the way this man cared for his brother. "I'll see what I can do." She said as she left the room. The door opened again a minute later and Jesse entered with Cooter and Daisy.

"Luke! I'm so glad you're okay." Daisy cried as she hugged her cousin. "I thought we lost you."

Luke held her close and looked over to his uncle and friend. "I'm sorry I put you through that."

Daisy got up and wiped her tears. "You do that to us again and you can eat at the Boar's Nest for a week!"

Luke laughed, "No, please, I'd rather starve." Luke stopped joking around and looked at Cooter. "I'm sorry I let go, but I couldn't let Bo die."

Cooter nodded, "I know. I'm just happy you're both okay." Cooter finally felt that he could let go of the guilt he had been holding on to since Luke's hand had slipped from his.

"Have you got word on Bo?" Luke asked his uncle.

"Doctor says he should be fine. He has a concussion, the cut on his leg got infected and needed stitches, and they've wrapped his ribs." Jesse gave him a report of what the doctor had told him.

Luke closed his eyes in relief. "Thank the lord for that. I was so scared. He was so sick."

Jesse sat on the edge of Luke's bed. "You saved his life. You didn't let go of him. I'm proud of you."

Luke nodded and smiled at his uncle. The door opened again and the nurse poked her head in. "I believe someone here asked for a room mate." Luke sat up as they wheeled Bo in and settled him in the space next to Luke. Bo wasn't awake and he was pale but he looked better than he did in the woods.

"Is he going to be okay?"

The nurse nodded, "He still has a fever but it's going away."

"Thank you, Nurse..."

"Emily." She told him and gave a shy smiled as she left the room. Daisy grinned as she watched Luke's eyes follow the nurse.

"Lordy, between you and Bo, the other patients here won't be getting much attention." Daisy giggled.

Luke turned and watched Bo. He listened to his steady breathing and the steady beep of the heart monitor, telling Luke that his brother was alive and well. Bo started stirring. He groaned as he tried to open his eyes. Luke swung his legs over the side of his bed so he could see his brother more clearly. Jesse stepped up to his youngest nephew and put a hand to his face, gently stroking his cheek with his thumb. Bo finally opened his eyes. He looked at his uncle. "Uncle Jesse?" Jesse nodded. Luke smiled at the sound of his brother's voice. Bo hadn't seen him yet because he was facing the other way. Bo closed his eyes again before asking, "Where am I?"

"Tri-County Hospital." Jesse answered.

Bo's eyes opened in surprise. "We made it?"

"Yeah, Luke lead us to ya both."

"Luke!" Bo frowned and suddenly sat up. The quick movement made him dizzy, causing him to groan. He leaned his forehead against his uncle's shoulder. Luke wanted to move to Bo's side but his uncle gestured for him to stay put.

Jesse stroked Bo's hair, "Take deep breaths, Son."

"Where's Luke?" Bo asked as he did as he was told. Jesse waited until he thought Bo had his breathing under control before pushing him back and laying him back against the pillow. He smiled at his boy and cocked his head to the left. Bo looked in that direction and a grin broke out as he saw his cousin sitting with his legs swinging off the side of his own bed. "You did it. We're back."

Luke nodded, "I promised that I'll get you back to Hazzard."

"And you always keep your promises, just like when you promised you'd never leave me." Bo said.

"That's right."

Daisy and Cooter watched the exchange before finally walking up to Bo and giving him a hug. "We missed you!" Daisy said.

"I missed y'all too." Bo said as he yawned. "I'm so tired I could sleep for a week."

Luke snickered as he laid down on his side. "Right, Bo. One day in bed and I'm sure you'll change your mind."

Bo closed his eyes and smiled. "You're probably right."

"Ain't I always?" Luke grinned.

The doctor walked in then. "How are my patients?"

"Tired." Bo said at the same time Luke answered, "Fine."

Everyone just grinned. "I'm Dr. Glenmire." He walked over to Luke first. "You were dehydrated and a little bruised all over but otherwise you're fine. Once that drip is finished, you can go home."

Luke was pleased, "Really?"

"Yep, bet you feel silly on insisting your brother gets settled in here, now, don't you?"

Luke looked a little embarrassed as everyone in the room looked at him. "I didn't know if he was okay and the nurse said he would be in another room." Luke shrugged, "I might've suggested that Bo should be in here."

"Suggested?" The doctor gave a small shake of the head. "I'm not sure that's the word Emily would use and she may have bruises to prove it."

"Luke!" Jesse admonished.

"I didn't mean it. I didn't even know I was holding her so tightly until she started to struggle..." He trailed off when he realised he wasn't helping himself. "Can you tell her I'm really sorry?"

"Don't worry too much about it, she seems quite taken by you." The doctor wrote something on his chart and then put it down. Daisy giggled while Cooter just shook his head. He would never understand why the Duke boys were so popular amongst the female population. Jesse was shaking his head at Luke, who had the decency to look contrite. Bo was unusually quiet. Luke expected the most jibes from him.

"Okay, now for you, Beauregard..."

"It's Bo." Luke said when Bo didn't correct the doctor, which was strange in itself. "He prefers Bo." Luke called out again when his brother wasn't even paying attention. "Bo!"

Bo looked up as if he had just woken up. "Huh?"

"Doc's talking to you." Luke gestured to the doctor.

"Oh sorry, Doc. Still a little out of it."

"A concussion does that to you. In fact it was quite severe, but you're lucky. It doesn't seem like it'll have any long term effects. A lot of rest is all you need. We've drained your leg of any infection and stitched it up, as well as the cut above your eye. Your ribs are just bruised. Looks like you can go home today as well, as long as you promise to take it easy for the rest of the week. Just like your brother, you're dehydrated and can go home once that drip has finished and your fever is gone." The doctor finished writing on Bo's chart and looked up. "Any questions?"

Luke shook his head and looked at Bo. Bo looked confused and worried. "You called us brothers."

"Hmmm?" It was the doctor's turn to be confused when the whole room went quiet. He looked around. Luke watched Bo carefully to try and gage what Bo thought of him telling the nurse they were brothers. Cooter was worried as well, only because when he mentioned they were brothers the last time, Luke freaked out on them. Daisy and Jesse were just quietly waiting for the scene to unfold. "I'm sorry, I was told by Emily you were brothers. I just assumed she was right, seeing as you have the same surname."

"Oh." Bo looked at Luke worriedly, "I didn't tell them."

Luke relaxed, that was what Bo was worried about. "I told Emily you're my brother." Bo was surprised. He didn't think Luke would be so open about it. "Well, you are, aren't you?"

Jesse smiled. He was glad the issue regarding their relationship has been resolved. Looks like the storm didn't only bring destruction. Daisy had a tear in her eye and Cooter put his arm around her, as he let out the breath he was holding. Bo gave a small smile. "Yeah, we are." He said softly. He had been telling himself that it didn't matter if anybody knew they were brothers because he had always treated Luke like a brother anyway and same was for Luke, but he was wrong. Knowing Luke openly admitted they were brothers meant more to him than he thought it ever would.

Luke could see how much it meant to Bo that he told Emily he was his brother. He just wished he had done it sooner instead of wasting so much time over-thinking the situation. "You okay with that, Bo?"

"Yeah, I'm okay with that. I'm more than okay." Bo smiled at his brother. "Thank you."

"I should be thanking you. You figured it out for me."

Bo frowned, "I did?"

"Yeah, don't you remember?" Luke looked at Bo worriedly and then at the doctor. "Doc?"

Dr Glenmire waved his hand. "It's normal for him to not remember what's been happening in the past couple of days. The concussion is making the days all seem like a blur. Do you remember what happened to you, Bo?"

"Just that we saved a little boy and then we got washed down the creek. Everything after that's a blur. I remember a cabin and Luke taking care of me. My head was killing me." Bo looked at the Luke. "I think we talked a lot." Then he looked at the doctor again, "That's about it."

"It's normal. Everything will probably come back in a couple of days."

"Wow! He seemed quite aware in the cabin. You do some good thinking when you have a concussion, Bo."

"I do?" Bo scratched the back of his head and then winced when he touched the lump there. "Ow."

"Clearly not so smart any more." Luke grinned. Bo glared at him.

"No fair. You can't pick on me when I don't remember what I said." Luke laughed at his brother as did the others. Bo really did look cute when he wasn't feeling well. The doctor put Bo's chart down and told them he was going to get the discharge papers ready.

"You should get some sleep, Bo." Jesse told him, "You too, Luke. Cooter, Daisy and I have to go pick up the cars from Chicasaw County. Enos is waiting outside to drive us home and then we're taking the General out to get the pick-up and Cooter's truck. You boys rest until we get back with some fresh clothes and then we can get you home."

Bo was too tired to even try to figure why the pick-up and truck was in Chicasaw County. He just nodded and closed his eyes. Jesse kissed him on his blonde hair and then did the same with Luke. "Sleep, he'll be fine." Jesse told him, knowingly. Luke nodded and they left them to rest.

Luke laid there watching his brother. He didn't know what he would do if he had lost him without telling him how he really felt. He was angry at himself for being so stubborn. He had spent the past 3 months trying to avoid the issue of them being brothers when all he had to do was talk to Bo about it. Luke smiled, everyone always said that he was the brains in the family. They didn't know that when it came to the stuff that counts, Bo was the one who knew what was best. Luke would come up with plans to get them out of sticky situations but Bo was the one who dealt with emotions well. He was the one who wore his heart on his sleeve. One would always know how he felt and Luke would thank God everyday for giving Bo that gift.

"You know the ticking of your brain is keeping me awake." Bo murmured, his eyes still closed.

"Sorry, I thought you were asleep."

Bo opened one eye at him. "Uncle Jesse told you to rest."

"Not tired." Luke said simply.

Bo rolled his eyes, "How could you be not tired? I don't remember much but I do remember you carrying me. You should be exhausted."

Luke shrugged, "I'm just not tired, but you should sleep."

Bo adjusted his bed so that he was sitting up more. He turned onto his side so that he could look right into his brother's eyes. "Thanks for not letting me go."

"I couldn't let go if I tried. I've let you down too much these past months. I couldn't do it again." Luke looked away, the feelings of guilt from the last few months was coming back to him.

"Please don't." Bo begged, "I don't have to strength to try and talk you out of your guilt. Nothing happened that you didn't fix."

"I didn't fix it. You did. Both times. You're the one who came and got me from Cooter's garage and you're the one who sorted out the mess with our parents. I didn't do anything."

"You saved my life." Bo told him simply, "Now, go to sleep. I'm tired."

Luke gave a soft laugh. He envied Bo. Everything was always simple for him. He watched as Bo fell asleep for real this time and then felt his own eyes getting heavy. Guess Bo was right. He really was tired. Strange how Bo always seems to be right these days.


	7. Epilogue

**Author's Note: A big thanks the Kimduke-79 for giving me the idea for this sequel. I really appreciate all the ideas she has given me over the past couple of weeks for both this story and Secrets and Lies. ****Also, thanks for beta-ing my work.**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own the boys or any body else. They belong to Warner Bros.**

Three days later, Luke was driving the General Lee through Rosco's speed trap. Bo was riding shot-gun. He wasn't allowed to drive yet. Not for another week or so, but sitting in the General Lee was better than sitting at home even if he wasn't behind the wheel. "Luke, Uncle Jesse's going to tan your hide if you get a speeding ticket." Bo was looking behind them at the patrol car that was on their tail.

"Nah, you know the rules, brother. Rosco has to catch us to give us a ticket." Luke grinned.

Bo giggled at Luke's antics. He loved this. Everything was back to normal and Luke had been calling Bo his brother since they left the hospital. What made it even more special was that it rolled off Luke's tongue like he had been saying it all his life.

"_Alright, you Duke boys, pull over. You're driving 35 in a 30 zone."_

"Ah Rosco, when are you going to learn? We never make it easy for you." Bo laughed into the CB.

Bo pointed at the road that lead to the creek. Luke nodded and grinned. He turned off and floored it.

Rosco, in his patrol car, was secretly enjoying the chase. No chase was as exciting as chasing the Duke boys. He had been waiting almost a week for the boys to get back on the road and now that they were he wasn't about to give up. "Ooooh, hot pursuit! I love it, I love it!" He pressed the button on the CB. "I'm going to get you boys! Kiew, kiew." He put the CB down and pressed down on the accelerator.

"He still behind us?" Luke asked.

Bo grinned, "Yep."

"Alright, let's see him do this." The General hit the ramp at the creek, sending the General into the air.

"YEEEEHAWWW!" Bo crowed. The feeling of flying in the General was something that never got old. They had cleared the creek by a few feet. Luke stopped the car and looked over to his brother who was rubbing his head. The same place he had hit in the creek.

"Aw...I'm sorry, Bo. I should've known the landing would be rough on you." Luke did feel bad until Bo looked at him grinning.

"That was fun!" Bo's head did hurt a little but it was well worth it. "We've still got it. We can still conquer that creek!" Luke just shook his head at him.

Bo and Luke looked back to see Rosco's patrol car sitting in the creek. Luke picked up the CB. "Hey Rosco! You okay?" They watched as Rosco pulled himself out of the car and onto the roof. He was shaking his fist at them but Bo could see that he was trying to keep from smiling. "Yep, you look fine, Rosco. I'll CB Cooter to get out here and tow you out. We would help you out ourselves but you want to give us a ticket and I have to get my brother home before Jesse takes the General away from us. We're gone."

Bo was surprised at that. This was the first time Luke had called him brother in front of someone they knew. Luke just grinned at Bo and pointed to Rosco. Bo frowned and looked back out the rear window. He started laughing when he saw Rosco clambering back into the car. They looked at the CB in Luke's hand when Rosco's voice came through.

"_Aah...did...did I hear you correctly, Luke Duke? Did you just say Bo's your brother?"_

Luke laughed, "Yeah, you heard right Rosco, Bo's my brother." Bo was grinning from ear to ear. The type of grin that reflected in his eyes as well.

"_But...but...I...you...huh?"_

"Sorry, Rosco, don't have time for word games. Gotta go! We're gone!" Luke put the General into gear and sped off. Bo waved at the very confused Sheriff, laughing. He turned back into his seat, still grinning. "Thanks Luke. I don't think my first day back in the General Lee could be any more special."

"It was my pleasure, Brother."

Word spread fast that day and for the rest of the week, the Duke boys were the talk of the town. If you thought Luke and Bo were popular amongst the ladies before, they're even more so now. Something about being brothers made them even more attractive to ladies, if that's even possible.

**The End. **


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